This invention relates generally to imaging methods and apparatus, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus that provide for vasculature partitioning.
Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) and Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) protocols for Neuro-imaging are done during stroke workup to identify vascular root causes for the stroke. The review of CTA and MRA datasets sometimes can be difficult due to any bone obstructions, and/or any clutter from any overlapping of Neuro-vessels in a three dimensional (3D) visualization.
Clinically there is a need to be able to generate views that can offer a clear picture in a 3D visualization of the Neuro-vasculature that can allow radiologists to rule out aneurysms. One way to solve that need is to create views that remove the bone obstruction and reduce the clutter through anatomically relevant division of the Neuro-vascular volume. Therefore it would be desirable to have a workflow that provides for the efficient and timely review of CTA (and MRA) data by automatically generating 3D views rendered in maximum intensity projection (MIP) views and automatically perform a volume rendering of the Neuro-vasculature to automatically anatomically divide the vasculature into left, right, anterior, and posterior circulatory regions, in one embodiment.